A Hand Offered
by verinthalia1
Summary: Set after "Intervention" Spike is in need of comfort.


A Hand Offered  
  
By Verinthalia  
  
This little one scene just popped into my head. Set right after Intervention. Characters are property of J Whedon and ME. Rated PG-13  
  
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Deep in the tunnel off Spike's subterranean bedroom, he stands beneath his homemade shower. Being over 100 years old has some advantages. He's picked up a few things, including how to tap into the city's water system.  
  
In a small alcove off the tunnel proper he'd found lines for both hot and cold water. He figured they had been run for the municipal maintenance building that abutted the cemetery. The shower consisted of a straight tap- in that he had hooked up to a delta type knob and a simple showerhead.  
  
For privacy he'd hung a sheet over the entrance. Spike had no idea how long he had been standing under the flow of water. Not one inch of his body was free of aches and pains.  
  
Glorificus had been very inventive with her tortures,(put the old Angelus to shame that daft bint would). Even his bits and pieces had fallen under her reign of torment. He felt flayed raw from his hips down.  
  
Finally he turned the water off and gently lay a towel around his waist, placing it carefully just below his navel and above his hips. With a stiff and painful movement he lifted another towel over his head to dry his hair.  
  
Like an old arthritic man, he slowly walked to his bedchamber. As he pulled the tapestry aside and entered he heard the upper crypt door open.  
  
"Spike, it's me...um... Willow" The red headed witch called out in a soft voice. He listened as her soft footsteps crossed the upper level.  
  
"Hang on Red" he called up through the trapdoor. Stiffly he turned to his chest of drawers and opened the second drawer to pull out a clean shirt. He grunted heavily and closed the drawer before he took a deep breath and bent slightly to open the bottom drawer and hook a pair of jeans. He rose up slowly and gingerly only to hear a soft gasp at the foot of his ladder, that had him spinning clumsily to stare into the face of a horrified Willow.  
  
"Oh Goddess Spike, I am so sorry." She whispered.  
  
Spike snarked to hide his very real physical pain, "'s not your fault Red. 'Sides it'll heal up in less than a week."  
  
"Stubborn Vampire, I brought you a tub of wiccan goodness to undo the badness I can see all over you." She said.  
  
"You wha'?" Spike still had trouble following Willow babble on occasion.  
  
"Tara and I mixed up a balm, a magic ointment to heal you faster. AND I brought you some yummy stuff to eat."  
  
"Don't really like the magics, Red. You know that." He groused.  
  
"Spike, All I did was assist her, Tara did the spell, and it's one her mom taught her." Willow blushed. Spike thankfully had not brought up the number of times her own spells went awry.  
  
"Oh, Like Glinda's stuff well enough." He mused, "Just what did you bring the Big Bad to eat little Red?" He smirked and raised his eyebrow.  
  
Fluttered and blushing at the blatant come on Willow began to babble, "We, Tara and Me um, at the Campus Blood Drive... Um... got you some bagged human... 4 pints, it's outta date for the Red Cross but we figured it could only help you. We told them we wanted it for a biology serology project, and ..."She seemed to run out of air as Spike forgot and stepped wrong.  
  
His sob of agony and the way he slumped over silenced Willow and instinctively she reached to help him. Slipping her hand under his right arm, she wrapped her arm around his back. He leap away from her almost howling in pain.  
  
That was when she got her first up close and personal look at the damage done to his back. Livid angry whip marks sliced up and down his back. Deep puncture wounds large enough to slip her finger into dotted his lower back. There were angry red patches where the skin was missing. The oozing raw spots looked as if the flesh had been torn off in thin strips.  
  
Willow though she was going to be sick, so she ducked her head downward. Terror flooded through her as she saw the raw angry red burns twisting and winding up his legs starting just at his ankles and disappeared under the towel. Something in her snapped. She stepped back with 'resolve face' showing.  
  
"Spike, How high do those burns go? Can you sit, or maybe you should just stand for a sec while I heat this up?" She asked.  
  
"She stopped just short of my bits' and pieces, but even they hurt." He answered lightly.  
  
"Don't push yourself. I'll be back in a jiffy." She scampered up the ladder with a bag of blood in hand and in a few minutes returned with a huge mug of warm blood. Spike stood stiffly at the side of the bed, his hands lightly resting on the nightstand. Willow handed him the mug. She lifted the tub of ointment and scooped out a big dollop.  
  
"Let me cover your back first then you can lay down. And it won't be hard to do your front" Willow reasoned and gingerly she stepped beside him.  
  
"What ever you think" Spike answered turning slowly so she could reach his back. "Jus' wanna make easier for you to 'do me' but don't you think your bird would mind?" he drawled.  
  
Willow blushed, and then stamped her foot groaning at his innuendo. She gritted her teeth and began to tenderly applying the balm.  
  
Spike inhaled deeply the aroma was clean and fresh like a spring meadow after a rainfall. The ointment had a slight glow to it, and the fragrance seemed to be relaxing him. Tentatively reaching out she began at his shoulders and slowly began to stroke the balm onto his ravaged skin. It the first contact the ointment seemed to glow brighter on his flesh and warm him gently like the warm golden shimmer of sunlight through spring leaves.  
  
Spike sighed deeply everywhere Red was touching was growing slightly numb the screaming of raw nerve endings were quieting to a low murmur. She worked over his shoulder blades and down his spine. Tenderly applying extra balm to the kidney area she hummed lightly as she worked.  
  
Willow was mesmerized and thrilled at the feel of his skin. It was like a cool alabaster statue. Skin smooth and soft over steely muscles, he was the embodiment of an iron fist in a velvet glove. Mentally shaking her head and reminding herself that she had a girlfriend, she urged him, "Drink up, it'll get cold"  
  
Spike turned his attention back to the delicacy of human blood that the witches had procured for him; he raised the mug and took a sip. The taste and aroma almost choked him.  
  
"Red I can't drink this." He said calmly as he slid the mug on the nightstand.  
  
"Why not, is it too cold now?" She gazed at him in complete innocence.  
  
"No, I ...This is not some out-of-date cast off, is it? It's yours and Glinda's mixed, isn't it? I hope to god you didn't bleed yourselves of the whole 4 pints." He snapped, "Cause now you've mixed it you can't but it back. You really are daft aren't you?" He eyes flashed.  
  
"Nutters complete and utter twits..." He muttered under his breath.  
  
"Listen Spike We may only be dumb humans, but we only donated a ½ pint each. Tara, Dawn, Anya, Giles, Xander and Buffy," she said.  
  
"Math's wrong that's only 3 ½ pints Red, tell me another one." He glared at her.  
  
"Buffy donated a ½ pint of her frozen reserve as well," she glared right back  
  
"Her what?" He was stunned.  
  
"Giles has her donate a ½ pint every 2 weeks to keep frozen in case she needs it." She explained.  
  
"I'll never believe that the whelp volunteered" he groused.  
  
"Well he was asleep so we just assumed it was ok, after all Anya said he'd never miss it."  
  
"Asleep huh,"  
  
"Just a little spell, even Tara agreed. We need you to heal quickly." She tried her pouty face.  
  
"Oh I see now I'm just the brute squad. Help him heal up and send him back out. Thank ever so," He fairly snarled.  
  
"No Spike. It's not like that. What you did for Dawn and Buffy," stepping to his side she reached up and turned his face to hers, "it was... it was heroic. It showed us that you really do care." She stared into his eyes, her sparkling green ones open and honest.  
  
"You're our friend. It's what friends do help each other. I've realized... we've realized... that you are part of the gang. You're always there to save our butts, and we've never said 'thank you' much less acknowledged all the things you do for us. We care about you. It's not right that you suffer for us." She stopped blinking and swallowing fiercely.  
  
"You have been so good to us all, and we've been so horrible to you, treating you like a 'thing' with no feelings. I've known you felt real emotions and emotional pain since you wanted that 'love spell' for Drucilla." She gently stroked his cheek.  
  
"It's time they... we started to respect you and your feelings, Please let me help you?" She pleaded softly.  
  
Spike stood still his whole world off-center, blinking furiously his eyes stinging his throat tight, while Willow stood just as stunned, both locked in private struggles with their emotions. Spike was awed that he was now considered a 'friend' of the group of humans who had for so long been the bane of his existence.  
  
Willow was blinded by the amazement and raw hope evident in his face, suddenly aware that this was the first time he had ever been accepted as a friend.  
  
Both began clearing their throats as Willow gazed down at the tub of ointment in her hand, and Spike quickly tilted his head to the side and adopted his patent smirk. Willow lay her small hand on his shoulder , "turn around and I'll get your back finished."  
  
Spike turned stiffly facing away from the tiny human that had just so surprised him. He was glad he didn't have to face her at this moment.  
  
Willow blushed deeply as she again was thrilled to be stroking his lean body even if it was just to apply the healing balm. When she reached his lower back she paused, "Um, I need to work under the towel back here can you hold it tight for a bit?" She asked in a high nervous voice.  
  
"Yeah Red I can do that." He murmured. She knelt behind him and slide her warm hands up his thighs spreading the ointment over the weeping raw burns that crawled up the back of his thighs almost to the tight little butt that just the tips of her fingers grazed.  
  
With a touch as soft as feathers she dabbed and spread the balm over his skin working down his legs to his feet.  
  
Finished with his back she spoke. "Spike. How does it feel now?"  
  
"Better. Red, so much Better. I think I might be able to lay down now." He sighed in relief.  
  
She stood up. Offering him a hand as he shuffled back to the edge of the mattress. He sank down slowly his unneeded breath escaping like a slow leaking beachball.  
  
"Okey Dokey. You lay back and get comfy while I refill your mug." Willow blushed vermilion as she reached over the mostly nude vampire to pick up his mug.  
  
Ducking her head and humming nervously she clambered back up the ladder. Moaning softly Spike sat down on the mattress and flipped the towel off his crotch then hissing lightly he began to dab the magically enhanced ointment over his damaged groin. So intend on the task at hand and nearly purring with pleasure at the instantaneous relief he felt he didn't hear Willow scrambling back down the ladder.  
  
"EEPP" she squeaked and he reached to grab the towel on the mattress beside him hitting an oozing raw patch in the process. His hiss of pain stopped her in her tracks.  
  
"Don't, "she sobbed. "Don't hurt yourself...um... I 'm a big girl, it not the first... um... I mean we both adults, it not..." She babbled. Her liquid filled green eyes taking in the raw skin of inner thighs, and across his lower hipbone.  
  
Wearily Spike laid his hands over his 'private bits' as she blinked rapidly and stared over his head.  
  
Smirking a sickly little smile he spoke, "So... where's my mug red?" In a voice not much more than a whisper.  
  
"Oh... OH!... I forgot to take a bag up with me... Um ...I'll take 'em all up and put the others in the frig, 'kay?" She stammered.  
  
"'kay" He sighed.  
  
As she walked by him to the foot of the bed she lay her warm soft hand on his shoulder and said in a voice filled with compassion, "Spike just lay back. I can tend to that as well. Just rest." She was almost pleading with him to relax.  
  
The wiccan's sense of empathy was in full tilt as Spike sobbed in relief. She hefted the grocery bag and shimmied up the ladder to the 'kitchen' again.  
  
He slowly lowered his torso back onto the mattress grunts and moans of pain slipping past his clinched jaws. His sculpted torso finally prone on the cool silk sheets he panted as his aches and pains quieted. Now that Willow had massaged the healing cream into his backside, only his chest and legs were shrieking in agony. He flipped the towel over to cover his manhood.  
  
He breathed into the pain letting his demon handle it for him. Quietly Willow desended the ladder and sat the refilled mug on the nightstand .  
  
"Spike" She almost crooned, "I'll make this as quick and as painless as I can." She knelt between his lower legs and swiftly worked up to his thighs. With a gentle nudge she spread his legs to allow easier access to the raw skin as she worked up his inner thighs. Taking a deep breath and swallowing hard she moved the towel to one side and with a butterfly soft touch she began to tend his hip.  
  
She stared covertly with huge eyes at the package that lay soft and hidden beneath the thick white towel.  
  
"Damn, she thought, he's either really big, or Oz was really small.'Cause face it Willow my girl even soft he's twice as big as Oz in the ready condition." She hummed softly as her small tender hands began their application to a most delicate area.  
  
Her face hot and flushed as he stirred under her ministrations. Spike body was not responding in a sexually stimulated way, just an acknowledgement that something or someone other than the owner was touching in the general area.  
  
She finished up and stood turning to move high up the side of the bed. Tenderly she laved the creamy balm down his right arm. When she had finished, she placed her knee on the mattress and leaned over to rub down his chest. The chest of the very much male vampire under her hands began to emit a rumbling sound much like a big cat purring.  
  
Willow's mind began to drift, lulled by his evident relaxation. Caressing the cool skin and ripped muscles became both seductive and sensual to witch and vampire. The warming balm glided effortlessly over his abs as she stroked lower.  
  
Willow shook herself free of the semi-sexual haze and lifting her hands then moved to stand up, but she stumbled and fell. As her body lurched forward over his torso, Spike's corded arm shot upward to catch her.  
  
The predator inside of him snapped its eyes open glaring, golden hued, sharp and dangerous, it took but a second for him to recognize her and his eyes turned smoky, stormy, deep blue and hooded. Neither made a sound as he raised his head and lowered her to his lips.  
  
Soft strong male lips captured the moist lush mouth of the little witch. Waves of delight and longing flooded through them both as the kiss lengthened, still soft tentative and inquisitive. The connection did not break apart so much as drift apart. Each of them was stunned and a little confused, but Willow sat bolt upright gasping.  
  
She shot to her feet. And in a flurry of irritation began to gather her things. She flushed from a shocked dead white to a flaming red in just seconds, "This never happened," she snapped.  
  
"Red, ...Willow wait please, "he begged. Spike tried to sit up and swing his legs over the side of the bed without loosing the towel around his hips. "God... I'm so sorry," his voiced was plaintiff and soft.  
  
She stopped and spun to glare at him.  
  
"I...it should never have happened. I was drifting...my mind was... not here. I'm sorry, please don't...be angry?" he begged hunched forward, his right hand clutched the towel and his left outstretched beseechingly toward her.  
  
Willow's face melted from righteous anger to compassion. "Oh Spike, why do you do things like that? I know you project this 'big bad' image, but I thought we were past that. I thought we were friends," She sighed.  
  
He hung his head sighing, "You're the only one, you and your pixie, that have ever treated me decent. I know I don't have to be 'Spike' around you, but I've been the 'big bad' for over a hundred years. It's hard to turn it off sometimes. 'Sides, that little kiss wasn't Spike, Wasn't William the Bloody, either... It was Will the poet. Know you don't believe me, but was a time when I was human, I was a right soft git."  
  
"I know," she smiled, "I've seen him every now and then, so has Tara. She says he's still a part of you and shows in your aura."  
  
"I'm sorry, Willow. Can you forgive me?" He starred at her his eyes open and hopeful.  
  
She placed her hands on her hips and smiled. "You're forgiven, but you do anything like that again and I'll turn you into a fluffy kitten." She smirked.  
  
His eyes snapped wide open a hint of fear or concern in them, "Believe me never again."  
  
"Fine. Now you rest and use the balm every couple of hours. Tara will check with you in the morning." She turned to gather her things.  
  
As she raised her foot to the ladder he spoke his voice held a petulant whine, "But Red, I can't reach my back"  
  
She turned her head to look at him, "well I guess I'll have to come back before then won't I?" Giggling she climbed upward as Spike lay back on the bed a peaceful smile gracing his face.  
  
Deep inside the vampire felt a part of him that had been cold and hollow grow warm and full, he had friends.  
  
The little redhead skipped a step or two in the cemetery, she knew now that her trust and faith in the good in Spike was not in vain.  
  
FINIS  
  
Hope you enjoyed it. Just a piece of fluffy that needed to be written so it would leave my brain alone.  
  
All right reserved property of the Author Verinthalia 


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